Rapid prototyping using infrared sintering

摘要

The method provides a rapid prototyping method for constructing freeform three-dimensional objects by successive layer-by-layer deposition of powder material. Each layer is created by the successive steps of: (a) providing a layer of powder material that is intrinsically transparent to infrared radiation of a particular wavelength; (b) selectively depositing an infrared-sensitive agent over selected areas of the surface of the powder layer; (c) exposing the layer of the powder material to infrared radiation of a wavelength absorbed by the infrared-sensitive material; and (d) controlling the duration of the infrared exposure to establish sintering or the commencement of sintering of the powder material over which the infrared-sensitive material has been deposited. The unsintered powder may be removed. The infrared sintering may if desired be augmented by further microwave sintering or exposure of the built object to induction heating. Better definition of the shape of the object can be established by using a laser beam to traverse the edge or edges of each layer as the object is built, to improve the resolution of that edge or those edges. Preferably each layer is compressed before sintering.